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eMOLT Update 2025-02-21
Weekly Recap
Welcome to the F/V Tradition, F/V Looney Bin, and F/V Seaborn, which
joined the eMOLT program this week thanks to the efforts of Commercial
Fisheries Research Foundation, the Center For Coastal Studies, and
Rutgers University, respectively.
This week, the eMOLT fleet recorded 122 tows of sensorized fishing
gear totaling 936 sensor hours underwater. The warmest recorded bottom
temperature was 45.9 F near Bank Comfort in the Gulf of Maine in
approximately 101 fathoms (red profile) and the coldest recorded bottom
temperature was 27.8 F off the backside of Cape Cod in approximately 1
fathoms (blue profile). Below, you can see these profiles plus a few
other temperature profiles of interest across the region from the last
week.
The comparatively warm waters at depth in the Gulf of Maine (5 or 6
degrees F warmer than the surface) may be the warm, salty Slope Sea
water that can be trapped in the Gulf of Maine (as described in Townsend et
al. 2023), although we can’t say for sure without salinity
measurements.

Figure 1 – Temperature profiles collected by eMOLT participants
over the last week. The blue profile is where the coldest bottom
temperature was measured and the red profile is where the warmest bottom
temperature was measured. All other colors are assigned randomly.
Colored points on the map indicate where profiles of the same color were
collected. The small dark green dots represent other profiles collected
this week, but not highlighted in the plot. Note that the warmest /
coldest bottom temperatures measured could have occurred during gear
soaks, which are not represented on this profile plot.
System Hardware Upgrade List
The following vessels remain on our list for hardware upgrades. If
you aren’t on the list and think you should be, please reach out.
Note that this list is different from our new install
queue.
- F/V Kaitlyn Victoria
- F/V Kyler C
- F/V Noella C
- F/V Sea Watcher I
- F/V Virginia Marise
Bottom Temperature Forecasts
Doppio
This week, 29% of bottom temperature observations were within 2
degrees (F) of the Doppio forecasted value at those points. Temps were
cooler than expected through much of the region, but warmer than
expected Downeast.

Figure 2 – Performance of the Doppio forecast’s bottom
temperature layer over the last week relative to observations collected
by eMOLT participants. Red dots indicate areas where bottom temperature
observations were warmer that predicted. Blue dots indicate areas where
bottom temperature observations were cooler than predicted. Bottom
temperature observations are compared with the most recent forecast run
available before the observation was made.

Figure 3 – The most recent Doppio bottom temperature forecast.
The gray line is the 50 fathom line and the black line is the hundred
fathom line. Purple shades indicate cooler water.
Northeast Coastal Ocean Forecast System

Figure 4 – The most recent bottom temperature forecast from the
Northeast Coastal Ocean Forecast System GOM7 model. The gray line is the
50 fathom line and the black line is the hundred fathom line. Purple
shades indicate cooler water.

Figure 5 – The most recent bottom temperature forecast from the
Northeast Coastal Ocean Forecast System MassBay model. Purple shades
indicate cooler water.
Announcements
Contribute to the 2026 Management Track Fishery Stock
Assessments
The Northeast Fisheries Science Center seeks input from our regional
assessment partners, including the fishing industry (commercial and
recreational), state agency scientists, academic researchers, and
interested members of the public to help guide development of our next
Management
Track Assessments.
Specifically, the NEFSC is looking for on-the-water observations or
data sets on topics such as distribution, stock health, fishing dynamics
and management, and the role these stocks play in the ecosystem. There
are two ways to participate.
There are two ways to participate:
June 2026 Management Track Stocks include
- Atlantic herring
- Butterfish
- Georges Bank Atlantic cod
- Georges Bank haddock
- Longfin inshore squid
- Ocean quahog
Disclaimer
The eMOLT Update is NOT an official NOAA document. Mention of
products or manufacturers does not constitute an endorsement by NOAA or
Department of Commerce. The content of this update reflects only the
personal views of the authors and does not necessarily represent the
views of NOAA Fisheries, the Department of Commerce, or the United
States.
All the best,
-George and JiM
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